The Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending March 4, 2017. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 521,607 carloads and intermodal units, up 1.8 percent compared with the same week last year.

Total carloads for the week ending March 4 were 262,743 carloads, up 6.3 percent compared with the same week in 2016, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 258,864 containers and trailers, down 2.3 percent compared to 2016.

Five of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2016. They included coal, up 18.7 percent to 85,183 carloads; grain, up 7.5 percent to 23,991 carloads; and miscellaneous carloads, up 7.3 percent to 10,635 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2016 included petroleum and petroleum products, down 8.3 percent to 9,864 carloads; chemicals, down 2.7 percent to 32,057 carloads; and motor vehicles and parts, down 1.6 percent to 18,593 carloads.

For the first 9 weeks of 2017, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 2,303,356 carloads, up 5 percent from the same point last year; and 2,348,371 intermodal units, down 0.2 percent from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 9 weeks of 2017 was 4,651,727 carloads and intermodal units, an increase of 2.3 percent compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending March 4, 2017, on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 359,372 carloads, up 7.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 330,483 intermodal units, down 1 percent compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 689,855 carloads and intermodal units, up 3.2 percent. North American rail volume for the first 9 weeks of 2017 was 6,136,705 carloads and intermodal units, up 3 percent compared with 2016.

Canadian railroads reported 80,555 carloads for the week, up 12.8 percent, and 60,691 intermodal units, up 4.6 percent compared with the same week in 2016. For the first 9 weeks of 2017, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 1,254,709 carloads, containers and trailers, up 7.7 percent.

Mexican railroads reported 16,074 carloads for the week, down 0.4 percent compared with the same week last year, and 10,928 intermodal units, up 0.6 percent. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 9 weeks of 2017 was 230,269 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 6.1 percent from the same point last year.